A topographic map of the ocean floor is called:

• A. Bathymetric Map
• B. Hypsometric Map
• C. Planimetric Map
• D. Thematic Map

Answer: (A)

Think of the ocean floor as a relief that lies below sea level, and a bathymetric map is designed to reveal that relief. It uses depth measurements and contour lines (isobaths) or color shading to show how deep different areas are, highlighting features like trenches, ridges, and seamounts just as a land topography map shows hills and valleys. The term used for land elevations is hypsometric, and while related in that it deals with elevation, it isn’t the standard label for depicting underwater relief. A planimetric map presents only horizontal positions with no sense of elevation or depth, and a thematic map focuses on a specific theme rather than the full relief of the surface. So the map that best represents the ocean floor is a bathymetric map.